Pawlenty Runs As Minnesota Fiddles

Image via WikipediaAs former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty finally made official his run for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, the state he left behind is on the verge of a government shutdown because of a huge budget deficit he's partly responsible for.

Pawlenty made his announcement first on You Tube, then the next day at a rally in Des Moines, where there just happens to be caucuses taking place a few months from now.

The main problem with Pawlenty is that he's not very well-known outside of Minnesota, and that he's boring to boot.  His poll numbers haven't improved much since he started "unofficially" campaigning.  And Michelle Bachmann, the more charismatic (not to mention mistake-prone) congresswoman from his home state, might decide to run herself.  In other words, folks, Pawlenty would be perfect as somebody's vice-president.

Now that the likes of Donald Trump and Mike Huckabee have dropped out (though we have yet to hear from Sarah Palin), Mitt Romney is considered the GOP's front-runner after bending over backwards to disavow his moderate past.  Such as the health care reform he supported as governor of Massachusetts, which President Obama used as a template for his own policy.

Back in the Gopher State, the GOP-controlled Legislature is at odds with current Democratic governor Mark Dayton over how to pay down the deficit that Pawlenty left office with.  The choice is stark:  Cut government spending (as the Republicans want) or raise taxes on the top two percent (as Governor Dayton wants).  Nothing in between.

So how come, as the official session ended Monday, there's no budget deal?  The Legislature wastes everyone's time and money on such things as voter IDs and an anti-gay marriage amendment in the final weekend, while important bills are neglected.  And Governor Dayton won't sign any bill that doesn't meet his criteria.

Because of this budgetary gridlock, the Governor will have to call a special session.  He'd better do it soon because, come July, the state's money will run out and plenty of people and services will be furloughed.

So while Pawlenty sells himself as a fiscal conservative who won't raise your taxes, voters might do well to see where that has gotten him in Minnesota and why it might lead to disastrous consequences.